The Association Between Lifestyle Factors and COVID-19 Among Older Adults in Southern California: The Loma Linda Longevity Study.

Amid a global aging trend, particularly notable in the U.S., there is a growing focus on achieving enhanced longevity and well-being. We evaluated the association between lifestyle factors (sleep, diet, and healthy lifestyle index) and COVID-19 infection in an older adult population in San Bernardino and Riverside counties in Southern California, the United States. A sample of 380 older adults ≥75 years old were surveyed cross-sectionally and self-reported lifestyle behaviors and COVID-19 infection. The results revealed that half the participants reported COVID-19 infection. Participants who slept less than 7 hours or more than 8 hours/night had higher odds of COVID-19 infection than those who slept 7-8 hours/night (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.03, 2.55). Healthy lifestyle behaviors were significantly associated with reduced COVID-19 infection (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.40, 0.92). In conclusion, adequate sleep and healthy lifestyle behaviors may be protective against COVID-19 infection among older adults and should be investigated further.

Exergaming: A Good Exercise Option During the Coronavirus Pandemic.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate Wii sports programs as a potential physical activity solution to increasing inactivity among young adults and potentially improving the immune system. An evaluation was done on five Wii Sports games, including tennis, baseball, bowling, golf, and boxing. Measures included caloric expenditure and metabolic equivalents (MET) expended. A total of 16 subjects participated in two interactive video game sessions that took place over a 14-day period, in which their caloric expenditure (based on metabolic equivalents and rate of perceived exertion [RPE]) was compared with accepted reference values associated with playing the actual sports. Results showed that Wii sports were associated with higher MET values than published norms for other actual sports, and all Wii sports showed caloric expenditure that was four to ten times higher than traditional sedentary gaming. In conclusion, the results justify the integration of interactive video-gaming technologies into future fitness programs targeted toward young adults and, consequently, decrease the risk of metabolic syndrome and obesity.

Associations between Avocado Consumption and Diet Quality, Dietary Intake, Measures of Obesity and Body Composition in Adolescents: The Teen Food and Development Study.

Avocado is a nutrient-rich food that has been shown to benefit the health and diet quality of adults. In this paper, we examined if habitual intake of avocado among adolescents is associated with their diet quality, food and nutrient intake, and measures of obesity and body composition. Participants aged 12-18 years old (n = 534) from selected public and Adventist middle-high schools reported their dietary intake in a web-based food frequency questionnaire (FFQ); anthropometrics were measured during school visits. Diet quality (DQI-I) and avocado intake were calculated from the FFQ; BMI z-scores (BMIz), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), and %body fat (%BF) were determined from the anthropometric data. Compared to non-consumers, avocado consumers had significantly higher covariate-adjusted mean scores on total DQI-I (68.3 vs. 64.6) and energy-adjusted mean scores on variety (18.8 vs. 18.0) and adequacy (36.4 vs. 33.4). Avocado consumption was significantly associated with DQI-I components adequacy (ß [SE] = 0.11 [0.03]) and moderation (ß [SE] = 0.06 [0.03]) but not with BMIz, WHtR, FM, FFM, and %BF. Mean intakes of fruits, vegetables, and plant protein foods, total and vegetable proteins, dietary fiber, retinol, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium were significantly higher for avocado consumers; saturated and trans fats intakes were significantly higher for non-consumers. In our adolescent population, avocado consumption was associated with higher diet quality and intake of plant-based foods and shortfall nutrients, but not with measures of obesity and body composition. Studies are needed to determine the optimal amount of avocado that would confer health benefits during adolescence.

Are long-term FAD diets restricting micronutrient intake? A randomized controlled trial.

The micronutrient adequacy of common fad diets is rarely assessed. We compared a high-fiber diet [HF] with a low-carbohydrate diet [LC] to assess their effects on body weight and micronutrient adequacy. One hundred and seventy-three adult males and females with or without diabetes with a mean body mass index of 36 kg/m2 were randomized to either a HF or LC diet. Differences in anthropometrics, blood lipids, glucose, blood pressure, and micronutrient consumption between groups were assessed after 52 weeks. Differences between groups a priori were assessed using independent t tests and chi-squared tests. Post hoc differences in nutrient consumption between groups while controlling for gender were assessed using factorial analysis of variance. After 52 weeks, LC dieters (n = 24) retained weight loss better than their HF counterparts (n = 30) (p = .06). LC dieters consumed more vitamin K (mcg) [HF = 124.0 ± 15.0; LC = 220.0 ± 39.1; p = .025] and vitamin B12 (mcg) [HF = 3.1 ± 0.3; LC = 4.1 ± 0.4; p = .026]. The HF group consumed more folate (mcg) [HF = 479.9 ± 34.0); LC = 333.8 ± 22.1; p < .001], magnesium (mg) [HF = 353.1 ± 17.4; LC = 281.1 ± 18.0; p < .001], and iron (mg) [HF = 14.6 ± 0.8; LC = 10.7 ± 0.6; p < .001. Both groups consumed less than the respective EAR for vitamins D and E and less than the AI for potassium. While a LC diet may be more effective for long-term weight loss, both diets were deficient in micronutrients.

Determinants of inflammatory markers in a bi-ethnic population.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation is a common pathophysiological pathway for a number of chronic diseases, and is strongly influenced by sociodemographic factors and lifestyle. Less is known about factors that may influence the inflammatory response in individuals of distinct ethnic backgrounds. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between ethnicity and blood levels of inflammatory markers in a sample of non-smoking church-goers. METHODS: In a cross-sectional investigation, 508 men and women (> 35 years old, 62% White, 38% Black) participated in the Biopsychosocial Religion and Health substudy of the Adventist Health Study 2. The contribution of socioeconomic status (education level and difficulty meeting expenses for basic needs) and health covariates (exercise, vegetarian or other type of diet, body mass index, and presence of inflammatory conditions) toward serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was assessed with linear regression models. Levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10), an anti-inflammatory marker, were also assessed. RESULTS: Blacks showed higher levels of CRP and IL-6 than Whites. Controlling for sociodemographic and health variables attenuated the ethnic difference in CRP while IL-6 levels remained higher in Blacks than in Whites (beta = .118; 95% confidence interval = .014-.206; P = .025). Ethnic differences in IL-10 and TNF-alpha were not found. Vegetarian diet was associated with lower CRP levels while exercise frequency was associated with higher IL-10 levels. CONCLUSION: Higher susceptibility of Blacks to inflammatory diseases may reflect higher IL-6, which could be important in assessing health disparities among Blacks and Whites. Vegetarian diet and exercise may counteract effects of disparities.

Sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum calcium pump isoforms in paralyzed rat slow muscle.

To assess the influence of paralysis on the expression of phenotypic protein isoforms related to muscle relaxation, the effects of spinal cord transection (ST) on sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) pump isoform protein levels in the slow rat soleus were measured. Western blotting using SERCA isoform specific antibodies demonstrated a rapid up-regulation (7 days post ST) of the fast fiber type-specific isoform (SERCA1). In contrast, the slow fiber type-specific isoform, SERCA2, was decreased with a slower time-course. The up-regulation of SERCA1 protein preceded the up-regulation of fast myosin heavy chain (MyHC) (i.e., MyHC-II). Immunohistochemical analyses of single muscle fibers showed that 15 days after ST there was a pronounced increase in the proportion of slow MyHC fibers with SERCA1 confirming that SERCA1 was up-regulated in the slow fibers of the soleus prior to MyHC-II. These data suggest that the expression of the SERCA isoforms (particularly SERCA1) may serve as more sensitive markers of phenotypic adaptation in response to altered levels of contractile activity than the MyHC isoforms. In addition, since the expression of SERCA isoforms was dissociated from MyHC isoforms, regulation of gene expression for these two different protein systems must involve different signaling events and/or synthetic processes.